Terrorists-hit ATI to re-open on Feb 6

K-P, federal govt yet to release compensation for victims

PESHAWAR: The Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) Peshawar is all set to resume academic activities from Tuesday, February 6, more than two months after it came under a terrorist attack.

On December 1, 2017, three terrorists stormed a hostel in the ATI – now renamed as Agriculture Service Academy (ASA). Nine people, mostly students, were martyred in the attack and more than 30 injured.

However, despite pledges, the families of the victim had yet to receive any compensation, either from the Centre or from the Khyner-Pakhtunkhwa government.

A notification issued by the ATI administration on Saturday informed all concerned that the Agriculture Service Academy (ASA) would resume it academic session from February 6, 2018 after a two-month break due to the unfortunate incident. The notification directed all students, officers and officials to join the academy and strictly fellow the official timings.

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On the other hand, ASA Principal Kamalud Din Khattak told the media that both federal and provincial government had failed to compensate the families of the victims.

On December 6, 2017, K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had approved compensation for those martyred and injured in the attack. Khattak said the victims would be compensated on a par with those of Army Public School (APS) Peshawar.

A provincial government official, while talking to The Express Tribune, said the CM had approved the compensation summary and moved it to the K-P Accountant General Office. He said very soon the AG Office would release the compensation package to the concerned offices.



The ASA principal told The Express Tribune that on February 6, the institute would reopen in the morning with recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by special prayers for the martyred and full recovery of the injured.

He said he was disappointed by both the federal and provincial government for not compensating the victim families.

“We cannot return people their near and dear-ones with any compensation sum, but it at least will financially support the victim families,” he said, demanding of the government to pay the compensation as soon as possible.

The principal also the compensation file had been moved by the provincial government last month and was pending with the AG Office for further work.

He reminded the federal government that Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal had announced compensation for the martyred and injured persons during his visit to the institute after the attack.